BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics guard Jabari Bird said he's taking a break from the team following charges that he choked and kicked his girlfriend and prevented her from leaving his apartment.In a statement Thursday, the 24-year-old Bird apologized to his teammates and fans for creating an "unnecessary distraction" and said he's taking time away to deal with "legal and medical issues.""I do not condone violence against women," he said. "I am hopeful that in due time and process, I will be able to regain everyone's trust."A management agency that represents Bird released the statement just hours after an arraignment hearing in which Bird was held on $50,000 bail. Not-guilty pleas to domestic violence-related charges were entered on his behalf.Police spoke with Bird's girlfriend, a student at a local college, at a city hospital after his arrest , prosecutor Khyati Short said during the hearing.Bird choked the woman unconscious, threw her against the wall and dragged her by the ankles when she... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on Boston Celtics guard Jabari Bird (all times local):4:20 p.m.Boston Celtics guard Jabari Bird says he's taking some time off as he deals with his health and domestic violence charges involving an alleged assault of his girlfriend.Bird says in a statement issued Thursday that he's "taking some time away from the team as I deal with my legal and medical issues."He is apologizing to his family, the Celtics, his teammates, fans and the NBA "for the unnecessary distraction that I have caused."The 24-year-old player says he doesn't condone violence against women and hopes eventually to regain the public's trust.Bird was ordered held on $50,000 bail Thursday. Prosecutors say he choked his girlfriend, kicked her and prevented her from leaving his apartment before he collapsed in distress.___4 p.m.Prosecutors say Boston Celtics guard Jabari Bird choked his girlfriend multiple times, kicked her and prevented her from leaving his apartment before he collapsed in distress.The... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics guard Jabari Bird choked his girlfriend multiple times, kicked her and prevented her from leaving his apartment before he collapsed in distress, prosecutors said at his arraignment Thursday.Bird, 24, was held on $50,000 bail after not-guilty pleas to domestic violence-related charges were entered on his behalf.Police spoke with Bird's girlfriend, a student at a local college, at a city hospital after his arrest last Friday , prosecutor Khyati Short said during the hearing.Bird choked the woman unconscious, threw her against the wall and dragged her by the ankles when she tried to leave his apartment in the Brighton neighborhood, police said.The ordeal, sparked by what the woman called "trust issues," went on for several hours, she said, until Bird experienced "seizure-like" symptoms and fell. That's when the woman left.Bird spent several days in a hospital. The woman was released from the hospital without serious injury, according to a spokesman for prosecutors.Bird's... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics guard Jabari Bird choked his girlfriend multiple times, kicked her and prevented her from leaving his apartment before he collapsed in distress, prosecutors said at his arraignment Thursday.Bird, 24, was held on $50,000 bail after not-guilty pleas to domestic violence-related charges were entered on his behalf.Police spoke with Bird's girlfriend, a student at a local college, at a city hospital after his arrest last Friday , prosecutor Khyati Short said during the hearing.Bird choked the woman unconscious, threw her against the wall and dragged her by the ankles when she tried to leave his apartment in the Brighton neighborhood, police said.The ordeal, sparked by what the woman called "trust issues," went on for several hours, she said, until Bird experienced "seizure-like" symptoms and fell. That's when the woman left.Bird spent several days in a hospital.Bird's lawyer, former federal prosecutor Brian Kelly, said that his client "understands the seriousness... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Call it Midsummer Madness.The NBA Summer League tournament is shaping up to be the most unpredictable bet in Las Vegas. The 30th and final seed advanced Thursday along with a No. 26 and a No. 27, after the Nos. 24, 25 and 29 seeds all won a day earlier.The 30 teams in the Summer League all played three preliminary round games and then were seeded for the tournament. It didn't take long to determine those seedings were meaningless.That was especially the case when the 30th-seeded Philadelphia 76ers won for the first time in Las Vegas by knocking off Deandre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns, who had won their first three games to earn the No. 3 seed.The top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers were able to avoid the chaos. The defending Summer League champions defeated their Staples Center rivals, the 17th-seeded Clippers, in their opener.Teams that lost Thursday play a consolation game Friday before the winning games return to action.Thursday's results:76ERS 88, SUNS 86Isaiah Miles scored... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Call it Midsummer Madness.The NBA Summer League tournament is shaping up to be the most unpredictable bet in Las Vegas. The 30th and final seed advanced Thursday along with a No. 26 and a No. 27, after the Nos. 24, 25 and 29 seeds all won a day earlier.The 30 teams in the Summer League all played three preliminary round games and then were seeded for the tournament. It didn't take long to determine those seedings were meaningless.That was especially the case when the 30th-seeded Philadelphia 76ers won for the first time in Las Vegas by knocking off Deandre Ayton and Phoenix, who had won their first three games to earn the No. 3 seed.The top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers were able to avoid the chaos. The defending Summer League champions defeated their Staples Center-rival, the 17th-seeded Clippers, in their opener.Thursday's results:76ERS 88, SUNS 86Isaiah Miles scored 20 points, making six 3-pointers, and Furkan Korkmaz added 18 for Philadelphia (1-3).Shaquille Harrison had... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Call it Midsummer Madness.The NBA Summer League tournament is shaping up to be the most unpredictable bet in Las Vegas. The 30th and final seed advanced Thursday along with a No. 26 and a No. 27, after a No. 24, 25 and 29 all won a day earlier.The 30 teams in the Summer League all played three preliminary round games and then were seeded for the tournament. It didn't take long to determine those seedings were meaningless.That was especially the case when the 30th-seeded Philadelphia 76ers won for the first time in Las Vegas by knocking off Deandre Ayton and Phoenix, who had won their first three games to earn the No. 3 seed.The Los Angeles Lakers were trying to avoid the chaos when they began tournament play Thursday night as the No. 1 seed. The defending champions play the Staples Center-rival Clippers, seeded 17th, in their opener.Thursday's results:76ERS 88, SUNS 86Isaiah Miles scored 20 points, making six 3-pointers, and Furkan Korkmaz added 18 for Philadelphia (1-3).Shaquille... [More]